The Rockpool Murder (A Shell House Detectives Mystery) by Emylia Hall

Author:Emylia Hall [Hall, Emylia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2024-03-19T00:00:00+00:00

37

‘Come on, Jay, we can’t be late for Ally.’

Jayden scowls, because of course he’s got no intention of making them late for Ally. He scans the most recent piece about Rupert and Baz, then slaps his laptop shut. This afternoon officers made a significant arrest. No mention of Top Field Camping, which is a good thing. They don’t need journalists crowding the site, disrupting the pizza van queue or getting soundbites from the likes of Ken.

‘I’m set,’ he says. ‘Has Jazz got her shoes on?’

‘She’s got her brand-new sandals on, no less. She’s ready to rock. And Jay, let’s try not to get collared by any guests. Eyes front. Hey, by the way, you checked in Martin Radford? I saw his girlfriend earlier. She’s very friendly.’

‘Yeah, I did. It was weird. Blast from the past.’

‘Nice they booked to come here, hey?’

‘Yeah, nice,’ says Jayden vaguely. If they weren’t flying out the door, he might have said how strange it felt when the DI called him PC Weston. But that feels like a bigger conversation. And not one he really wants to have: mostly because he hasn’t got a sharper adjective than strange.

Outside in the yard the heat hits them like a wall. Jazz toddles ahead, quick as a fish in her lime-green playsuit and sunshine-yellow sandals. Jayden catches up to her, places a hand on her mass of dark curls and steers her towards the Land Rover. On an evening as sweet as this they’d usually stroll it, but Jazzy’s staying up past her bedtime, and a long walk uphill with a tired toddler is no one’s idea of fun. He hoists her up into the car seat.

‘Any news?’ says a voice at Jayden’s shoulder.

‘Ken.’ Then, because he feels like it, ‘News of what?’

‘That bloke that got arrested. The killer.’

‘He was arrested. That’s all.’

‘My money’s on him though,’ says Ken. ‘That was some slick operation by the Old Bill. Lying in wait like that. Were you in on it?’

‘They weren’t lying in wait,’ says Jayden.

‘Okay, Jay,’ says Cat, tapping the bonnet, flashing a smile, ‘we’d best make tracks. Ken, have a lovely evening.’

And Ken – rendered a little speechless by Cat’s beauty; especially tonight in the blue dress she’s wearing – simply nods and holds up a hand. Whether in farewell or surrender, Jayden’s not sure.

As they turn out of the campsite gateway and on to the lane, Cat squeezes his knee.

‘You were a little defensive there, Weston. You’ve only known this Felix guy five minutes.’

‘I didn’t like Ken’s tone. Guilty until proven innocent, that’s his vibe.’ Jayden slips his shades from his shirt pocket and puts them on. ‘Plus, what’s “this Felix guy” all about? Before he was just “Felix”.’

‘Okay, Just Felix.’ She laughs. ‘Come on, Jay. It’s horrific, but it looks like the police have jumped right on it. Which is great because it’s not exactly a selling point, having a house of horror up the road from the campsite.’

‘House of horror?’

‘Two deaths in as many days?’ she says in a low voice, glancing back at their daughter.

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